Running board storage box with gusset attachment

ABSTRACT

A running board storage box that is designed to be mounted in conjunction with a land vehicle where the running board storage box can be used as a step to facilitate entry and exit through an access door of the vehicle. A door assembly is pivotally mounted on the front edge of the storage box. The back of the storage box includes a gusset accommodation structure in the form of an attachment which is removably mounted within a slot formed within the back.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The field of this invention relates to storage boxes and moreparticularly to a storage box that is designed to be mounted as arunning board on a land vehicle.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Personal land vehicles can be characterized as automobiles,pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and recreational vehicles.Automobiles, at the present time, do not normally include a runningboard. A running board, however, is commonly included in conjunctionwith pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and recreational vehicles. Arunning board generally constitutes no more than a step that is locatedjust below the access door(s) on each side of the land vehicle which canbe utilized by a human when entering and exiting the land vehicle. Therunning board is to provide for an immediate location for a user's feetprior to entering the land vehicle after stepping off the ground andwhen exiting the vehicle prior to stepping on the ground.

[0005] Most pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and recreationalvehicles are raised some distance off the ground. Therefore, for a humanto enter or exit such a land vehicle requires an initial step of adistance of approximately eighteen inches. This is a significant largestep for most people, and it is for this reason that most people preferto use running boards to break up that eighteen inch distance to be nogreater than about twelve inches.

[0006] In connection with pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles andrecreational vehicles, it is desirable to include as much storage spaceas possible. Storage space is always desirable for the storing of toolsin connection with one's job, or elongated members such is commonly usedin conjunction with certain sports, such as skis for skiing. Normally, arunning board is designed to be constructed of metal, fiberglass orplastic and function as only a step. However, in the past, it has beenknown to incorporate some type of a storage container in conjunctionwith a running board thereby obtaining of additional storage space inconjunction with the land vehicle that heretofore was not possible.

[0007] Some vehicles are constructed to make it difficult to mount astorage box type of running board in conjunction with the vehicle. Thereason that it is difficult is that there are metallic brace membersknown as gussets that are mounted between the frame and the chasis ofthe land vehicle underneath the passenger compartment. In order toutilize a storage box and maximize the storage facility within thestorage box, the storage box has to be designed to accommodate thesegussets. A gusset comprises no more than a thin plate which is weldedbetween the chassis and the frame. Typically, the thickness of thegusset will be no more than a quarter to one-half inch. It is theprotrusion of that gusset in an outward direction that makes itdifficult for the mounting of a storage box in conjunction with a landvehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The basic embodiment of the present invention comprises a runningboard storage box designed to be mounted on a vehicle where the storagebox has a housing which has an internal chamber which is designed toreceive articles to be stowed. The housing has a front edge and a backwhere the back is spaced opposite the front edge. A door assembly ismounted on the front edge with the purpose of the door assembly toprovide access into the internal chamber and also to close off theinternal chamber when access is not required. The back is to includegusset accommodation structure that is designed to accommodate a gussetmounted on the vehicle.

[0009] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the firstbasic embodiment is modified by defining the gusset accommodationstructure as a first slot formed within the housing.

[0010] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the justprevious embodiment is modified by the first slot to include an L-shapedattachment to be mounted within the slot. The attachment has a secondslot with the gusset to lie within the second slot.

[0011] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the justprevious embodiment is modified by the second slot having a closedbottom which is angularly disposed relative to the back of the housing.

[0012] A further embodiment of the present invention is where a previousembodiment is modified by the attachment having a flange which surroundsthe second slot with the flange to abut against the housing.

[0013] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the justprevious embodiment is modified by the flange incorporating a resilientseal located between the flange and the housing in order to provide awater tight connection between the attachment and the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] For a better understanding of the present invention, reference isto be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that thepresent invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in thedrawings.

[0015]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a pair of running board storageboxes of the present invention being mounted in conjunction with atypical land vehicle being shown in phantom;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a front view of a single running board storage box ofthis invention showing the running board storage box in the closedposition where the running board storage box can be used as a step whenentering and exiting the land vehicle;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the running boardstorage box of the present invention taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

[0018]FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the gusset attachment for therunning board storage box of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown in phantomlines a typical land vehicle 10. The land vehicle 10 has an enclosingbody or chassis 12. Normally, the chasis 12 will be constructed of sheetmaterial, generally metal. Included within the chasis 12 are a pluralityof access doors 14. The chasis 12 is mounted on a supporting frame 16.It is common that there is included between the chassis 12 and the frame16 a plurality of strengthening brackets, known as gussets 18.Typically, there are a pair of gussets located in a spaced apart mannerwith a typical pair arrangement being shown in FIG. 4.

[0020] Mounted on the chassis 12 are a plurality of front mountingbrackets 20. The front mounting brackets 20 are fixedly mounted by boltfasteners 22 to the chassis 12. The location of the brackets 20 is nearthe access doors 14. Also mounted on the chassis 12 are a plurality ofrear mounting brackets 24. Again, there will be a plurality of the rearmounting brackets 24 with these brackets 24 also being fixedly mountedon the chassis 12 by means of bolt fasteners 26.

[0021] An L-shaped bracket 28 is fixedly mounted to the top 30 of ahousing 32 of a storage box 34. A single L-shaped bracket 28 is fixedlymounted to a single front mounting bracket 20 by means of a boltfastener 36. In referring specifically to FIG. 2, it can be seen thatthere are five in number of the bolt fasteners 36 for the single storagebox 34. The storage box 34 shown in FIG. 2 is the storage box that islocated on the left side of the land vehicle 10. It is to-be understoodthat there is a similar storage box 36 located on the right side of theland vehicle 10 with the storage box 36 being reversely positionedrelative to storage box 34.

[0022] The rear mounting brackets 24 are to be each fixedly mounted by abolt fastener 40 to the back 42 of the housing 32. The housing 32includes an internal chamber 44. It is within internal chamber 44 thatarticles (not shown) are to be stored. The front edge 46 of the housing32 is to have mounted thereon a door assembly 48. The door assembly 48is to be pivotally movable between and open position and a closedposition with the closed position being shown in FIG. 3. The doorassembly 48 is for the purpose of providing access into the internalchamber 44 and also for enclosing the internal chamber 44 when such isdesired. The door assembly forms no specific part of this inventionother than it being a part of the storage box 38 and for that reason thedoor assembly 48 is not discussed in detail.

[0023] The back 42 includes a pair of first slots 50 with the firstslots 50 being located in a spacing equal to the spacing between a pairof gussets 18. Normally, in conjunction with certain types of landvehicles 10, there is only a single pair of gussets 18 on each side ofthe vehicle 10. An L-shaped attachment 52 is to be mounted inconjunction with each first slot 50. The L-shaped attachments 52 areidentical and each include a second slot 54 which has an angled bottom56. The angled bottom 56 will normally assume a forty-five degree anglerelative to the top 30 and also to the back 42. The L-shaped attachment52 is completely enclosed and is formed as a single piece. Completelysurrounding the second slot 54 is a flange 58. The flange 58 is mountedon both legs of the L-shaped attachment 52. Located against the underside of the flange 58 is a resilient seal 60. The L-shaped attachment 52is to be mounted within a first slot 50 and will function to close offfirst slot 50 not to permit the entry of any foreign material or waterinto the internal chamber 44 through the first slot 50. At the sametime, the forward edge 62 of a gusset 18 is to be located within asecond slot 54 and abut against the angled bottom 56. The forward edge62 may be slightly spaced from the angled bottom 56. The resilient seal60 forms a snug contactual relationship with both the top 30 and theback 42 forming a water tight and dust tight seal preventing water anddust from entering into the internal chamber 44.

[0024] It may be that no separate securing arrangement is necessary forthe L-shaped attachments 52 relative to the housing 32 with theattachments 52 being held in position merely by abutting against itsrespective gusset 18. However, it is also to be within the scope of thisinvention that some form of securement, such as welding or some othertype of fastener arrangement, may be required to secure each of theattachments 52 onto the housing 32.

[0025] The housing 32 is basically rectangular in configuration andgenerally will be several feet in length. The interior chamber 44 willnormally be between six to ten inches in height and about eighteeninches deep. The length of the storage box 34 may be as great as six oreight feet.

[0026] It is to be understood that the purpose of the attachments 52 isto prevent seepage of any rain water or any other type of water into theinternal chamber 44. Internal chamber 44 can be used to store articlessuch as fishing equipment, first aid kits, jumper cables, motor fluids,snow chains, emergency tools, water containers or numerous other typesof articles. For hunters and military personnel, guns and ammunitioncould be stored within the internal chamber 44. The potential use of theinternal chamber 44 is to keep the articles safe and dry but also tokeep valuables out of view.

[0027] For some installations the gusset 18 may be squared and nottriangularly shaped. In such an instance, the bottom 56 will not beangled but would comprise an L-shaped slot 54. Also, it is considered tobe within the scope of this invention to use an attachment 52 for awider gusset such as a four to six inch wide protrusion. In such aninstance, the slot 54 would have to be four to six inches wide.

What is claimed is:
 1. A running board storage box designed to bemounted on a vehicle comprising: said storage box having a housing whichhas an internal chamber designed to receive articles to be stored, saidhousing having a front edge and a back where said back is spacedopposite said front edge; a door assembly mounted on said housing atsaid front edge, said door assembly to provide access into said internalchamber; and said back having means designed to accommodate a gussetmounted on said vehicle.
 2. The running board storage box as defined inclaim 1 wherein: said means comprising a first slot formed within saidback, said gusset to lie within said first slot.
 3. The running boardstorage box as defined in claim 2 wherein: an L-shaped attachment is tobe mounted within said first slot, said L-shaped attachment having asecond slot, said gusset to lie within said second slot.
 4. The runningboard storage box as defined in claim 3 wherein: said second slot havinga closed bottom which is angularly disposed relative to said back. 5.The running board storage box as defined in claim 3 wherein: saidattachment having a flange which surrounds said second slot, said flangeto abut against said housing.
 6. The running board storage box asdefined in claim 5 wherein: a resilient seal located between said flangeand said housing, whereby said resilient seal functions to create awatertight seal between said attachment and said housing.